Weird happenings in the House of Weebles

As many of you know, I’ve heard dead people. I’ve heard them here, here, and also here.

So now I’d like to tell you about some of the peculiar occurrences in the Weebles house that didn’t involve hearing the voices of disembodied people. These have all involved electronic devices of some sort.

It started last summer. One day I came home from running errands and went into the bedroom. I turned on the light but it didn’t go on. I figured the bulb had burned out so I put in a new bulb. Still, no light. WTF? It had worked fine that morning.

I figured maybe there was a problem with the outlet. I went to unplug the lamp so I could try it in another outlet, but that’s when I saw that the lamp was already unplugged. It hadn’t been unplugged that morning. And it’s not as if the cats could have knocked it out; the plug fit too snugly in the socket for that. Whatever, I plugged the lamp back in and that was that.

Until the next day. The television was on and I was puttering around the house. I had my back turned to the television when I heard it turn off and then back on again. I was nowhere near the remote control, nor were the cats. And there was no evidence that the cable box had reset itself like it sometimes does.

Things were calm for several weeks after that. Then one night we were sitting in the living room and our Roomba suddenly turned on. Again, no cats nearby. Mr. Weebles checked it out and everything seemed to be fine. No obvious reason it should have switched on.

A few weeks later, I was in bed reading before going to sleep. When I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I saw that the bathroom light was on. I know for a fact that the bathroom light was off when we went to bed that night. And once again, it wasn’t something one of the cats could have done.

Other electronic oddities: Once, while I was watching television, the channel changed by itself. Nobody was near the remote. And twice, random apps on my phone mysteriously started up while the phone was sitting on the table next to me.

But my favorite was when I found my laptop and mouse neatly set up on the coffee table one morning. I had left everything in disarray the night before because I was really tired—I just plopped the laptop, mouse, and all the cords on the table in a pile and went to bed.

These events occurred over the span of a few months. And just as abruptly as they started, they stopped. We haven’t had any further activity since last fall.

To this day I have no idea what it was all about. I never felt a strange presence in the house during those times, never had the feeling someone was there. I was more amused than creeped out by these strange happenings, but Mr. Weebles wasn’t quite so amused. He’s glad things are back to normal, but I have to admit that I kind of miss it.

Go with me on this… Do you remember if Pickles knew how to use the remote? Did the TV channel jump to Animal Planet? Could she be visiting you in the form of Thomas Alva Edison? Maybe she picked up some sweet electronic skills on the other side? I think you’ll agree, this is really the only logical explanation.

Don’t think I didn’t wonder if Pickles was the culprit behind this, Grippy! Pickles enjoyed using the remote as a pillow. Because you know, nothing is more comfortable than resting your head on a hard object with many buttons protruding from it. But I think she would do something more contrary somehow. Like turning lights off at inconvenient times or something. It could be one of my other dearly departed kitties, though. I haven’t ruled that out.

I know what you mean–I would be looking for things to happen and be so disappointed when it stopped. I have had things like that happen too–but then again, I am a self-proclaimed weirdo (that is not saying you are)

I was so disappointed when they stopped, homefront! They never happened before that time, or since. I found it entertaining. But Mr. Weebles is just as happy to have no further occurrences. He’s no fun.

Aye, all three electronic tables go off, the piano, the story table and the activity table. The activity table goes off when switched off, but everything doesn’t go off if I remove the batteries. Except optimus prime… He goes off no matter what, we figure ‘The Cube’ gives him extra power or something.

I love these kinds of stories. Who knows what it was? At least your electrical stories aren’t expensive. Me, on the other hand…Every now and then, I’ll either go through the house or my office (office especially) and when I turn on the lights, I’ll blow several lightbulbs. Then have to spend the 30 seconds I’ve allowed myself to get ready for my work day frantically changing bulb while my client waits. May an energy upgrade?

Oooh, goodie, another person for whom electricity and its lack seem to be a telegraphy system for, well, someone. I used to look after and lock up a great old house for a part-time Mum job when the kids were young. Long story, but one night I went up to the attic rooms and this insanely loud vibrating crashing seemed to be coming from the eaves. every time I investigated it stopped. I called security and we watched as, every time I stood under a spotlight it would putter out. And then I’d change spotlights, and wherever I stood the light would go out. It was like the cut-out was following me, watched by incredulous security guards.

These wraiths: they use electricity like the rest of us use telephones…

I didn’t find it creepy, although I’m sure a lot of other people would, NBI. So if you should ever have any strange activity in your house, just send them over to my place instead. As long as they’re nice.

Maybe there’s a hot dead guy who sometimes likes to remind you he’s around with little things. Did perhaps your dead crush, Robert Cornelius, die sometime during the fall? When did he take that photo that you’ve posted? Just thoughts.

Or maybe it was just some random ghost being a playful d-bag during his travels.

I wondered about that too, La La – but then I realized it wouldn’t be his style. I get the feeling he would think that such electronic pransk were sort of juvenile. He died in August, though — August 10th, to be exact. Dammit, I forgot his anniversary. The photo of him is from either November or December 1839, when he was 30. He died at the ripe old age of 83. I’m thinking it was just random passersby just saying hi and being silly.

Maybe you didn’t feel “anything” because the presence was kind, impish and playful. You know like that so you didn’t have that creepy hair on the back of your neck stand-up thing.

Remember in the Sixth Sense when the little boy’s grandma kept moving her bumble bee pendant and the Mom blamed him? It’s like that, some little spirit was in their moving things around just cause she/he could. Maybe it was some great writer trying out electronics. Shakespeare? He had a sense of humor.

It could happen. Shel Silverstein said: Anything can happen, child! Anything can be.” I agree with him.

Shel Silverstein was a wise, wise man, Brigitte. I definitely agree that if it was something/someone paranormal, it was totally harmless and playful. Like kids playing pranks or something, just to see what would happen. I like the idea of the great author trying out stuff. Maybe it *was* Shakespeare. I bet Hemingway would enjoy my house, too, with all the kitties around. Maybe it was him.

That is a bit like when one of my sons toys burst into life in the middle of the night, when he is tucked up in his cot bed. Even more scary when the sound is amplified by the baby monitor.

Also weird is when he gets excited looking at something which we cannot seem to see. We joke that he is seeing his great grandpa who passed away at the end of last year who lived in this house for a long time (but didn’t pass away here). We joke he is “seeing dead people” again. I don’t think this is connected to the toy coming to life.

What’s up in your house, Elliot?? Seeing a toy suddenly get activated would creep me out, I think. But I think I’d still enjoy seeing it. My cats are always looking at phantom things too, but I’m not sure if it’s because they see something or because it’s just what cats do. But they say young children can see things that we can’t.

They were very prescient spirits, then, because this was way before I was blogging. They must have known that I would eventually blog and that I would need something to write about. That’s so sweet of them.

I thought it was Mr. Weebles with the laptop setup, I thought, “Aw, that was nice of him.” But he hadn’t done it. And I was in the house by myself for about half of these occurrences. Next time I have visitors, I’ll send them down to say hi to you.

I have lived most of my life in a very old town and gotten used to opening and shutting doors, sounds of footsteps and the occasional cold spot but never had a ghost that neatened up after me. That could be a handy thing to have!

See, here’s the thing, V—I actually don’t think it was him. I think he’d find those sorts of activities sort of silly. However, a few years ago, in a different apartment, I was at my computer when I felt someone tug on my ponytail. That could have been him. Or someone else.

Sounds like some very considerate and techno-savvy guest(s), and otherwise unobtrusive. Much more pleasant than the one our upstairs neighbor claimed to have that left the water taps running resulting in numerous Niagara Falls-like effects in our apartment.

How do the cats like the Roomba? I’m thinking our Chi might enjoy one! 😉

Strangely, our cats are completely indifferent to Roomba. They just don’t care. As for my “guests,” yes, they were generally unobtrusive and polite. Leaving the faucet on, or worse–the stove–would be bad. Very very bad.

There’s a very simple explanation for this, your house number is incorrect. At first when things were getting unplugged it was mob hitmen sent to your home to “mess things up” to set fear into the person who lives there. It was suppossed to be your neighbor’s house, but they mixed things up. Eventually they got it right and they continued to mess up your neighbor’s house. That’s when your neighbor hired a maid, Lupe, who made the same mistake as the mobsters. She came over to clean the house. Seeing your house was not very messy, she rearranged the laptop and the mouse for you.

Your explanations make sense. My house number is 215, but there are a bunch of goons who live up the street at 251. It’s an understandable mistake. I’ll have to find Lupe and give her flowers or something, though. That was nice of her to tidy up my computer setup for me.

I’m not sure I’ve really wrapped my head around all the strange things I’ve experienced myself, to be honest, calahan. I wouldn’t have believed them if they hadn’t happened to me. But if anything else happens, I guarantee I’ll be blogging about it!

I don’t usually believe in ghosts or spirits but for the past year or so (maybe a little longer since my memory isn’t worth shit), at night when I’m in bed, I actually feel something walk over my feet/legs. The first few times, I assumed it was my cat but when I sit up and look, or feel for the cat, she’s not there. It’s heavy enough that it isn’t just a breeze or something, there is actually something walking over me. Good thing I like creepy.

I had two LARGE males (overweight really) and now I have two females, who are getting on. I love them. Easy to take care of, inexpensive, and the males are really affectionate (but smelly – they need weekly baths). And yes, it might be them, but I always think it’s the cat so I think it’s heavier and larger. It doesn’t matter…it doesn’t bother me. 🙂

If it was just electrical happenings, I’d say have an electrician to check your wiring. But the computer rearranging, hmm, hmm, hmm.

On our recent vacation, my husband and I spent one night in an old hotel. The place creeped him out, even though he usually scoffs at the paranormal. And then one of the drawers in an end table kept opening up. I checked, and it was level, not unbalanced or loose. There are more things in heaven and earth….

It’s so true, JM. Even with the electrical happenings, not everything was on the same circuit, and it wouldn’t explain the fact that the lamp was suddenly unplugged. I bet that experience with the drawer in your hotel room must have been an eye opener, eh?

It’s funny because I’m normally the one who would be more “in tune” with such things. But I didn’t get any vibe at all. Hubs just keeps saying how much he didn’t like that place! 🙂 Maybe he’s a bit less skeptical now….

My advice would be to move somewhere radiation levels are lower, beta particles are rare, and aliens haven’t landed (yet). I like you Madame, but you’re beginning to freak me out. Not that I’m worried about you having all these strange occurrences, but why don’t I have any? I’m feeling left out and starting to get a complex …

It’s not you, Nigel, it’s me. I suspect these entities are attracted by all the electromagnetic radiation in my house—they like it because all of my cables are unshielded, so they can really enjoy themselves. (Pay no attention to the nay-sayers who claim that exposure to EM radiation can make a person think they’re having paranormal experiences.)

You have a Roomba? I’d make fun of that, but I’m honestly too interested in knowing if it’s any good. By the time you let me know, I will hopefully have thought of some at-least-B level Roomba material to assail you with. But alas, I’m working a big-boy job this week–10-3 every day (and I have to wear shoes–or in a pinch, Birkenstocks)–and as you know, a twenty-five hour work week can be emotionally draining for the work-shy.

Smak, you NEED to get a Roomba. They’re amazing. They really work! The way they roll around is a little odd because they don’t work in grid patterns; they map out the room in very random ways. But they’re great.

However, when/if you have time/energy, I will look forward to any Roomba material you come up with.

I’d be creeped out, but I’d probably just pretend it wasn’t happening. Denial is a wonderful thing.

Though I’ll never forget the time the TV turned on all by itself and it was unplugged… or so I thought. I nearly kacked my drawers before I realized the loose plug was from the stereo and the TV was actually plugged in a different outlet.

He’s not a huge practical joker, come to think of it, Stacie. I never even thought about that. I’m more of a practical joker than he is, I think. But he wasn’t even home for half of these incidents. Unless he’s an even madder genius than I thought he was, and he rigged up some sort of devious schemes to fuck with me. Hmm. Now I’ll have to investigate.

Venus and/or Mercury are often in retrograde, I think–that’s what I hear a lot, Nancy. Retrograde is when they orbit in the direction opposite the way they normally go. I have no further knowledge of how that works, so if there are any astronomers and/or astrologers out there who understand this, please shout out.

My mom has a roomba. I was watching it do it’s thing once, and it seemed like a persistent, but slightly stupid, pet.

Cool ghost stories. Poltergeists usually only show up around teenage girls, though. Were you going through a second adolescence last fall? Teenage kitties? Whatever the case, you are clearly a magnet of some sort. If I ever need anything supernatural taken care of, I’m calling you instead of the ghostbusters.

So creeped out, I love it. On one hand they are tidying up for you and making sure you don’t waste electricity by switching the lights off. At least it’s better than the ones who throw your books across the room and make a dreadful mess of things.

Do you personally believe in ghosts or the supernatural, Madame? I never did, yet horror and ghost stories/films scare me like hell. I wonder what that makes me.. Or perhaps we’ve both got very active imaginations? 🙂
Make sure you’ll be ready for another round of those peculiar happenings in case they come back.
(er, just an interjection to hopefully frighten you – in jest) -> Boo! 😀

I would say I’m a skeptical believer, Marj, if that makes any sense. A lot of stories sound bogus to me, and/or can be explained by any number of reasonable, rational, earthly things. But for the 95% that are not legit, there’s that 5% that I really wonder about. And then there are the ones that have happened to me personally, where I can’t find any explanation for them. So my little gremlins could have been paranormal visitors, or they could be just a group of coincidental but perfectly explainable events. I guess I’ll know more if it happens again!

I was thinking we had a ghost or I was losing it some years ago. I’d put my purse down, swear I’d put it down on the couch, and it would be on my bed. Or I’d take my shoes off one place and suddenly they were in another. Same with my keys, glasses, etc. And then one day I watched my four-year-old pick up my purse, walk to the next room, sit it down again, and walk off. Gaslighted by my own child.

Creepy. When I was a kid, I woke up in the middle of the night and heard a woman calling my name over and over. When I answered her she stopped. I still have no idea what it was because everybody was asleep. It still makes me shudder to this day.

I feel like more paranormal activity should include tidying up a bit.
Ghosts are SO lazy these days.
Also, I had to Google ‘Roomba’. Don’t be alarmed, Madame… but apparently… there is… a ROBOT nearby!!!